She went North
by tokengirl
Summary: AU - She fled north and hid herself away. She hoped that the past would leave her be but sometimes drama follows you like a mabari with a scent. Fate will deal the cards she wishes without your consent.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Dragon Age: Origins or Dragon Age 2. I'm taking liberties with them but isn't everyone here?

Prologue

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><p>On the ship to Kirkwall, in a fit of grief and anger, she shaved her head. Afterwards, she threw the massive bundle, wrapped in rags, over the side of the ship. That was the last of her life before the dawn. She had given the necklace her mother gave her to the captain for passage north, to Kirkwall. Her armor was stolen and the sword and shield were not hers either. The voyage was both short and long at the same time. Grief dug itself deep into her heart as they sailed.<p>

The City of Chains was still open to outsiders and the Captain was glad to be rid of her. The guards gave her a wide berth and none approached her. She made her way from the docks, higher up the mass that was the port city to where the Chantry sat.

Her bald head gave her sharp face and obsidian eyes a fierce turn making her seem as if she would ravage the land if she saw fit. She laid her sword and shield before the entrance and came into the Chantry. The Sisters and Templars eyed her with a mix of pity and wariness, she could feel their gaze but she did not react. She kept her eyes downcast as she climbed the steps to the giant statue of Andraste and the ever burning flame. She lit a candle went to take a seat in a darken pew.

A blonde Sister spied her from the other side of the Chantry and turned to say something to the older woman next to her. The woman wore the robes of a Grand Cleric and on her face was warmness and strength. She crossed the divide between herself and Elissa Cousland and sat down next to the young woman.

"This is a place of peace and healing child." Grand Cleric Elthina replied as a greeting.

"Both would be a welcome change, Your Reverence." Obsidian eyes lifted to meet hers. "I would lay my weapons down and serve Andraste and the Maker for a long time."

"You ask for succor?" the Grand Cleric asked her.

"Yes Your Reverence," Elissa answered quietly. "I watched as my family and friends were slaughtered by the soldiers of a man my father called friend. I don't know why he did it and to escape death I had to take life instead. I wish to do some good and heal my wounds."

Elthina placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "And you shall, child. I will grant your request for succor. Come let us get you ready.


	2. First Card: The Sister

Four years later...

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><p>Elissa stepped out of the store room to see Mother Petrice with two templars and a kneeling man.<p>

"You have shunned the Maker and now you shall pay for your heathen conversion." the blonde Mother hissed.

Elissa scrambled closer for a better look as one of the templars took a step towards the man, sword sliding free. Her eyes widened and she grabbed the nearest object she could get a hold of. The small candelabra, lit candles and all, sailed through the air and hit the templar's helmet with a clang. The distraction of the object was enough for Elissa to jump over the railing onto the landing below and out of sight.

"Who threw that?" Petrice boomed. "Those that would deny the Maker His justice shall be judged as well!"

Elissa growled at the heresy of such statement and launched herself up the stone wall and over the railing that protected the main dais. Time seemed to slow down as she barreled towards the nearest templar, arms gripping the sword and leg slamming into his chest to wrest free the blade. The templar back peddled from the force his shoulder knocking into the other templar. Petrice's confusion gave Elissa enough time to situate herself between the Mother and the man they were going to "judge".

"Sister Elissa put down your blade." Petrice ordered her cold eyes shone with fanaticism. "You deny the Maker His justice."

"And you deny the Maker His forgiveness. You diminish him every time you would dispense His "justice"." She spat out the last word like a curse.

Petrice pointed down at the man."He has denied the Maker!"

"We are not judges of Man only He is. Are you trying to place yourself in His place? Are you to be our God now?"

"Heresy! I do only the Maker's bidding!" Petrice shouted. "Kill her and the heathen!"

The two templars came towards Elissa and the man, making Elissa push the man backwards towards the railing. The first templar to reach her was the one that she had stolen the sword from, his shield coming at her from an arch large enough for her to duck under and thrust the sword into the gap between his breast plate his helmet. The blade sank into the flesh and Elissa grimaced at the realization that she had surely killed this man.

"Maker forgive me." she breathed as the templar fell to his knees and then slumped over.

The chantry was silent enough to hear his last gurgled breath. She scrambled back to her feet as the second templar came towards them. Hands grabbed her waist and pulled her down past the height of the railing. The man's arms encircled her, pulling her close to his chest. Petrice let out a cry of shock and then the templar that stood above Elissa was hit with a large bolt from a crossbow.

"Petrice let them go!" a voice boomed from the main area of the Chantry.

Elissa tried to catch the sight of whoever the interloper was but brocade and stone blocked her view. She let go of the sword and used both of her arms to wrestle out of the man's grip. Petrice was already ready to bolt when she got to her feet and when Elissa took her first step the blonde started her dash around to the stairs that led to the east side of the Chantry. The thought of the Mother escaping from her and what she was to have done to the man behind her made something in Elissa snap. She was not going to stand by while this bitch got away with her crimes.

Her feet carried her faster than Petrice's could and she caught up to the woman at the bottom of the steps. Her hand grabbed the Mother by the hood of her robes and she planted her feet and pulled the woman with enough force to have her fall onto her back and rear. A group that Elissa had seen a few times in the Chantry speaking with the Grand Cleric and Brother Sebastian came into view. The leader, a tow headed man with a wicked sword, pointed the tip of his blade close enough to Petrice's neck to stop her from getting up. Brother Sebastian came up next to the man and his eyes traveled up from Petrice to Elissa and then up the stairs.

The woman glared up the newcomer. "Serah Hawke." she growled.

"Hello Mother Petrice." he smirked. "Plans not go the way you thought?"

"Sister Elissa are you all right?" Sebastian asked.

Elissa nodded absently. "I'll go fetch Her Reverence." she croaked and slipped past the group and away from the scene.

There was no way of getting truly away from what had happened. She would walk the Chantry's steps to the dais every day and look down at her own hands and envision them holding a sword that took a templar's life. Her body would burn with the memory of arms around her, holding her. Her breath quickened as her feet carried her up the steps and through the doors towards the Mother's chamber. She stared at the door and took a deep breath.

Her knuckles rapped against the oak. "Grand Cleric?" silence followed her call. The night was still wrapped around the city and the chantry, the Fade calling to the dreamers. She knocked again.

The door opened to reveal the head of Kirkwall's Chantry in a robe and her nightgown. Grey blue eyes studied the young sister. "What is it child?"

"Mother Petrice tried to have a Qun convert murdered in the Chantry." she replied.

Elthina's face did not change from her usual thoughtfulness. "Lead the way child."

Elissa did not argue as to the state of dress of her superior, silence was perferable to letting her emotions slip. Petrice was still on the ground when they made their way down the steps. Elissa finally caught a glimpse of the convert that Petrice tried to "judge". Black hair and vivid teal eyes that caused her stomach to drop. Those of the cloth should not think of getting lost in such a gaze or wonder what they would look like under her as she-. She bit her cheek to stop the thought from progressing further into the gutter.

"Messere Dumar, Serah Hawke, Sebastian." Elthina greeted as she stepped past Elissa. " Mother Petrice. What have you done to bring Sister Elissa to my door?"

Petrice glared at Elissa through Elthina. "Your Reverence, Sister Elissa interfered in the punishment of a heretic and killed a templar."

"Who is this heretic?" There was no accusation in her voice, only a question.

Messere Dumar stepped forward. "I am, Grand Cleric. I converted to the Qun and Mother Petrice deceived me into thinking that my father asked to see me here. Instead I was met with Mother Petrice and two templars. She said that I was to be judged by the Maker for my turning from the Chantry. Sister Elissa risked her life to save mine."

Elthina nodded and turned from the group her eyes resting on Elissa. "Mother Petrice will be judged by the laws of Kirkwall."

"I will have my men come here immediately." a redheaded woman in guard armor replied swiftly.

"Serah Hawke will you please escort Messere Dumar to wherever he wishes to go?" the older woman started back up the stairs.

"Grand Cleric?" Petrice called out. "Grand Cleric? Grand Cleric!"

Elthina gave Elissa's arm a comforting squeeze as she passed by. "Fret not, the Maker won't judge you on this."she said softly.

"Yes, Your Reverence." she breathed, glancing back at the group below, forcing herself from looking back at "The Convert". She had to think of him that way. He was no longer of the Chantry. The Maker would judge her about the thoughts that had popped into her head.

She didn't move from her spot, merely stared down at her hands as they slowly dispersed.

"You will pay for your heresy, Sister!" Petrice shouted as the redheaded woman grabbed her by the arm and escorted out of the Chantry.

"Sister Elissa do not fret." Sebastian replied taking her hands. "You did what you thought was right in protecting Messere Dumar. Just because he is a convert to the Qun does not make him anyless a child of the Maker. Mother Petrice will have her justice meted out to her."

Elissa shook her head. "It's not that Sebastian. I had just forgotten what it felt like to hold a blade and kill a man."

Sebastian nodded. "It's been four years since you came here and laid your sword and shield at the entrance of the Chantry. You've changed. Go and get some rest."

"Will you hear my confession, Sebastian?" she looked up at him.

"Tomorrow. Go and rest." he answered kindly and gently pushed her up the stairs towards the Sisters' dormitories.

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><p>The sun was deceptively cheerful as Elissa came out of the Chantry's kitchen to fetch a bucket of water from the well. When she had woken the spot that the templar had fallen was clean of any blood but the gossip had already swept through the chantries residents. She had received looks of disdain from her brothers and sisters. The Grand Cleric was locked in her office with Knight-Commander Meredith which meant there was something big going on. Sebastian had left early that morning with Serah Hawke for unexplained business.<p>

The feel of rope sliding through her gloved hands was oddly soothing as the bucket quickly lowered itself into the dark depths of the well. The wooden bucket made a splash against the water below and waited for the tug to know that the pail was full. A shadow fell across the well's wall causing her to straighten and then another and another joined it. She turned to see four brutish men, dirty, possibly from Lowtown standing behind her. She gave them a friendly smile and started to pull the pail up.

"Maker bless you on this fine morning, gentlemen." she greeted.

"He will indeed, sister." closest man replied and quicker than she had anticipated he lunged for her.

His open palms connected with her shoulders and he shoved her hard enough for her to kilter over the well's wall. He knocked her feet higher so that her balance tipped her over the edge. She must have screamed as she fell into the black coldness of the well. The water shocking her into her losing her sense of direction; she righted herself and reached the surface. The men were pulling up the pail and it was just high enough so that she couldn't reach it.

"Why are you doing this?" she called out. The men did not answer, they only whistled as they left her to the well.

It seemed like hours that she would call out for aide. Her robes were starting to weigh her down and swallowing her pride she struggled to get her boots and outer robes off. The walls of the well were slick with green making climbing useless. She could float for a while, reserving her energy but the cold was starting to seep into her body.

"Hello! Can anybody hear me? Please, someone help me!" she called out with a sob. Fright was starting to overwhelm her.

She could only hear herself but then, when the noon sun was glowing overhead a faint shadow popped into the glare of sunlight. "Sister Elissa?" Brother Sebastian asked, his brogue heavy with worry.

"Brother Sebastian!" she sobbed. "Thank the Maker! I'm freezing down here."

"Quickly a rope!" he called out to someone behind him. He disappeared and her heart thundered in her chest. He reappeared and through down a rope with a larger loop at the end. "Slide that over you and tighten it around you. We'll pull you up!"

Elissa did as she was told, tightening the loop around her hips and then wrapping her left arm high enough so that she wouldn't fall. The jerking was hard on her cold body and when her skin met warmth she started to shiver. two strong arms helped her slid over the well's lip and a blanket was wrapped around her. She squinted as her eyes got used to the sun but she caught sight of Hawke and two Sister.

A scruffy blonde man pushed his way towards her but turned to the Sisters. "Quickly, get her a change of clothes and some hot tea.

The two sisters nodded and hurried off to do as they were told.

"Who did this to you?" Hawke asked with a frown.

"Four men, I've never seen them before." she replied and sneezed.

The new man came over and placed and hand on her forehead. She could feel the magic flow into her body, warming her from the inside out. She let out a deep breath and then took a deep breath. She opened her eyes and smiled gratefully at him. She gently took his wrist and lead it away from her head. "Thank you."

"You will need to get plenty of rest and warm fluids."He nodded and stepped back Hawke gave him a friendly clap on the shoulder as he passed

Sebastian came back into her view. "We'll find who did this to you."

"To what end, Brother?" she asked. "Nothing will change the fact that it happened. They were more than likely duped by someone else or ignorant of why they do what they do."

Hawke's frown tilted to the left, scrutinizing her. "You're not safe here."

Sebastian frowned, his intense eyes glaring at his comrade. "This will not happen again."

Elissa shook her head. "Where else do I have but here? I cannot leave the Chantry because of a few ignorant people."

"You've been attacked once in the Chantry." Hawke replied. "Where were the Templars that were supposed to guard the door?"

"I will not flee from my home a second time." Elissa's voice was sharp, forceful, like her mother's could be when she wished to be heard.

"How many followers of Petrice or Varnell are lurking here, waiting to give you a knife in your back?"

"I will not run."

"Serah Hawke is right." Elthina's voice sounded from the doorway to the Chantry. "You are in danger here." she stepped fully into the courtyard with the guard from last night behind her. " Viscount Dumar wishes to see you. Guard-Captain Aveline will escort you there once you are ready."

"I will not run again, Grand Cleric."

"You are not running away, Sister Elissa. You are going to see the Viscount."

Elissa glared at Hawke and with a nod to Sebastian and Elthina strode into the Chantry, water dripping from her dress.


End file.
